There is no question that the physical and mental demands of the sport of baseball are rigorous. Not only is it difficult to successfully hit a ninety-mile-per-hour fastball in front of a crowd of passionate spectators, but it is also challenging to navigate an often confusing system that leads players through youth leagues, high school, college, and for a lucky few, the Minor and Major Leagues.

Rod Humphries, sports journalist, television writer, and former administrator of a worldwide professional tennis tour, shares his personal experiences and advice from experts in this complete insider's guide designed to help players, their parents, and baseball fans understand how Major Leaguers "pay their dues." Humphries, who closely studied the entire baseball assembly line when his son was drafted out of high school by the Houston Astros, offers valuable information on:

- The professional baseball structure- Little League vs. select/travel ball- Player analysis and recruitment- Scholarships and coaching camps- Draft day decisions, salaries, and career chances

"Little League to the Major Leagues" provides proven tips and time-tested advice for any family or player who dares to dream of journeying beyond youth baseball to high school, college, and the professional game.

Originally published in 1900. A study of this most English of games. With contributions by other well known authors. Contents Include: How To Prepare A Wicket and How to Look After A Ground by T.A. Hearne - Batting by Albert Ward - Slow Bowling by F.G.Bull - Cricketing of Today by M.A.Noble - Fielding by P.F.Warner - Fast Bowling by T.C.Collings - Hints to Young Cricketers by O.R.Borradaile - Recreation and "Cricket" by Lord Harris - Management of a Club by C.W.Alcock - The Rules of Cricket - What Cricket Costs. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

More than 6 years after his death David Halberstam remains one of this country's most respected journalists and revered authorities on American life and history in the years since WWII. A Pulitzer Prize-winner for his ground-breaking reporting on the Vietnam War, Halberstam wrote more than 20 books, almost all of them bestsellers. His work has stood the test of time and has become the standard by which all journalists measure themselves.
The New York Times bestseller, now with a new introduction "The Breaks of the Game" focuses on one grim season (1979-80) in the life of the Bill Walton-led Portland Trail Blazers, a team that only three years before had been NBA champions.
The tactile authenticity of Halberstam's knowledge of the basketball world is unrivaled. Yet he is writing here about far more than just basketball. This is a story about a place in our society where power, money, and talent collide and sometimes corrupt, a place where both national obsessions and naked greed are exposed. It's about the influence of big media, the fans and the hype they subsist on, the clash of ethics, the terrible physical demands of modern sports (from drugs to body size), the unreal salaries, the conflicts of race and class, and the consequences of sport converted into mass entertainment and athletes transformed into superstars--all presented in a way that puts the reader in the room and on the court, and "The Breaks of the Game" in a league of its own.

Bill Block's Trojans 1972: An Immortal Team of Mortal Men captures the story of 47- USC football players, beyond their glory days on campus and into their everyday lives as men. The 1972 Trojans are considered one of the greatest teams in the history of college football. They defeated Ohio State 42-17 in the 1973 Rose Bowl to complete an undefeated 12-0 season and were crowned national champions. Each chapter is a mini biography told through the eyes of each player. Each and every player from that '72 team whether as powerful as fullback Sam "Bam" Cunningham, as intellectually gifted as defensive back Marvin Cobb, or as massive as offensive lineman Pete Adams, eventually became one of us. A mortal. You'll find humor; you'll find sorrow; and you'll find football. Most of all you'll fi nd lessons about being mortal.

Originally published in 1930. The author was All-England Singles Champion of that time. A fascinating look at the sport at that time, accompanied with advice that is still useful and practical today. Contents Include: The Racket and How To Hold It - Footwork and Poise - Stroke Production - The Smash - The Lob (Or Clear) - Drop-Shots - The Drive - Service - Return of Service - Feinting - Tactics (General Ideas) - Doubles (Side by Side Formation) - Doubles (Back and Front Formation) - Singles - Match Winning. With photographic illustrations. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Despite the thirst for more information about women's golf, very little exists about its history outside of books about the legendary Babe Didrikson Zaharias. Hudson fills this void, offering a complete history of women in golf. He focuses on the fascinating development of women's golf, the creation of the women's tour, star athletes of the past, the astronomical rise of the present-day tour greats, and the future of the sport. Golf may well have replaced baseball as America's pastime, and the sport enjoys incredible popularity across the globe. At the professional level, women's golf continues to escalate in popularity and media attention, particularly with the dominance of LPGA champion Annika Sorenstam and the interest surrounding teenage phenom Michelle Wie. Despite the thirst for more information about women's golf, very little exists about its history outside of books about the legendary Babe Didrikson Zaharias. Hudson's new book fills this void, focusing on the fascinating development of women's golf, the creation of the women's tour, star athletes of the past, and the astronomical rise of the present-day tour greats. In addition, Hudson examines women's golf in the context of the country's history of discrimination against women. Women's golf grew in popularity after the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, granting the right of suffrage. Unfortunately, gender discrimination remains a reality in the world of golf in certain locales of country club golf. Nonetheless, women's golf has never been more popular. For example, the Futures Tour, where girls and young women hone their skills on the way to the LPGA, has grown to more than 300 players from 27 countries, making it the largest international developmental tour in the world. And the 2006 LPGA Tour featured 34 events with prize money nearing $50 million, the highest ever in LPGA history. In 1890, Hudson writes, the Washington Post reported that some girls are anxious to learn golf, because they are really fond of sport and exercise; others, because it gives them a chance to show off a natty suit. Those girls are now acknowledged as women—and this book shows how very far they, and their sport, have come.